How vet tech skills helped save a human life

When Elizabeth Reed, BSVT, LVT, CCRA, was confronted with a life-or-death situation, she drew on her 16 years of experience as a vet tech and performed life-saving CPR on a man suffering a massive heart attack. Her quick action and veterinary training not only saved his life but highlighted the incredible, transferable skills vet techs bring to life outside the clinic.

Transcript

Elizabeth Reed, BSVT, LVT, CCRA:
So, I'm Elizabeth Reid. I'm a certified veterinary technician, and I’ve been a vet tech for over 16 years. I graduated from Cedar Valley Community College with my LVT degree and became certified and licensed in Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma. I also completed my degree in veterinary technology at Petersburg College. Since 2012, I’ve been working on the industry side—first with Royal Canin for nine years, and now I’m a senior director at 2x, focusing on inventory and controlled substance management.

One Sunday afternoon, after church, my husband, 2 daughters (ages almost 4 and 6), and I stopped by Whole Foods for groceries. On our way home, we were driving on a 2-lane road when I noticed a Lexus SUV pulled off to the side. It seemed strange because the flashers weren’t on. As I looked closer, I saw a woman sitting on the center console. It looked off. I told my husband, “Go check it out. Give me a thumbs-up if I need to call 911.”

He went to the passenger window, talked to the woman for a bit, and then gave me the thumbs-up. I called 911, provided our location and details, and then I saw my husband walk around to the driver’s side and open the door. He waved me over.

When I got there, I saw a man slumped in the driver’s seat—eyes wide open, mouth agape, completely unresponsive. My husband said the 911 operator was telling them to perform CPR. Without hesitation, I pulled the man out of the car and laid him flat. My husband started unbuttoning his shirt, but I ripped it open to locate his sternum and immediately began compressions.

The first few compressions were intense—I felt his ribs break under my hands. His eyes were fixed and dilated, and his mouth stayed open. I kept going and told my husband, “He needs breaths.” After confirming with the wife that the man didn’t have any infectious diseases, my husband gave him a few breaths. The man’s body reacted, but it looked like agonal breathing, something I’ve seen during euthanasias in animals. I was worried it was too late.

A nurse who had stopped offered to help and encouraged me to keep going. It felt like an eternity. At one point, my husband shouted, “Where’s the ambulance?” Finally, EMTs arrived. They had my husband help with the equipment, and they shocked the man twice right there in the street. I spun his wife around so she wouldn’t see it.

The EMTs continued CPR for 45 minutes and shocked him 14 times. The man had suffered a massive heart attack with a full blockage. They placed an Impella catheter to address the blockage.

Over the next several days, I kept in touch with his wife, checking in as he progressed: off the ventilator, walking, starting cardiac rehab, and finally discharged from the hospital. Thirteen days later, we visited him at his home. He was fully recovered—walking, no oxygen deprivation, just 3 broken ribs.

I can only attribute his survival to a higher power. From my perspective as a vet tech, he was gone, but he came back. It was incredible to use the skills I’ve developed in veterinary medicine to save a human life.

I’ve done CPR on many animals in my career, but this was my first on a human. It made me realize the transferable skills we have as veterinary technicians. We often go through our days unnoticed, tirelessly working, but our training can save lives when it matters most.

This experience reminded me to slow down, notice others, and act when something feels off. Taking a moment can make all the difference—for families, for individuals, and for the world.